Diagnosing and Treating Allergy-Related Skin Conditions

There are a lot of reasons why your skin might be irritated. These reasons range from problems with your immune system to medications that you’re taking to skin infections. In many cases, skin issues are connected to an allergen triggering your immune system to produce an exaggerated response. When these instances happen, they are known as allergy-related skin conditions.

One of the most well-known allergy-related skin conditions is eczema. Eczema is extremely common, especially in children. It is estimated that 20 percent of infants have eczema as opposed to two percent of adults. It’s thought that children are more inclined to get eczema because their skin barrier is still leaky. As such, it can dry out, and this can lead to inflammation and other things connected to environmental factors.

It has been seen that individuals battling with eczema often have food sensitivities, which seem to worsen their condition. Interestingly, the itchiness caused by eczema does not come from histamine. So, using anti-histamine medications is not going to do anything to address the itch. Eczema is often linked with things like hay fever, food allergies, or asthma.

Another type of skin allergy is referred to as contact dermatitis. An example of this is people who have an allergic reaction to nickel. So, when they wear jewelry that is made out of nickel, they very quickly develop swollen skin at the point of contact. Another example of this is poison ivy. You come into contact with the oil of poison ivy and your skin becomes red and starts to itch.

Hives are a condition that are linked to the immune system. When your immune system releases histamine, it can cause your skin to become inflamed. Small blood vessels leak, and your skin starts to swell. This can happen after you eat food that you are allergic to, or it can happen after you come into contact with something that you are allergic to.

Hives can also be triggered by nonallergic sources. For example, for some people, excess heat, a lot of exercise, or even being bit by an insect can trigger hives. One good thing about hives is that they are not contagious.

Allergy-related skin conditions are some of the more popular forms of allergies treated by medical professionals. It is important to have any allergic reaction on your skin checked out by a trained specialist. If you suspect that you may be dealing with an allergy-related skin condition, get in touch with us at Columbia Asthma & Allergy Clinic, with locations in Washington, California and Oregon. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to learn more!